According to Spanish source MercaFutbol Liverpool are close to completing the £6.4m signing of Ivory Coast forward Lacina Traore.

The Merseyside club is said to be set to be Brendan Rodgers first signing since taking over at Anfield and is seemingly an attempt to improve the club’s attacking options. Last term Liverpool managed just 47 goals in Premier League action and the former Swansea City boss has just Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll and veteran Craig Bellamy to call upon, hence the need to beef up the numbers.

Traore first emerged on the scene during his time at Romanian side Cluj who he helped to a domestic title and then impressed in Champions League action before securing a move to to Russian Premier League side FC Kuban Krasnodar where he notched up 18 goals in his first season, finishing as the third highest goalscorer in the division.